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<title>I don't need the world to see that I've been the best I can be, but I don't think I can stand to be where you don't see me by orphan_account</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23748550">I don't need the world to see that I've been the best I can be, but I don't think I can stand to be where you don't see me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Guild Wars 2 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canonical Character Death, Forehead Kisses, Gift Fic, Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns, Heart of Thorns Spoilers, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mind Control, Order of Whispers (Guild Wars), Partial Mind Control, Past Character Death, Short One Shot, Telepathy, personal story spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:55:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>676</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23748550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Athene misses Tybalt more than anything in the world, and Mordremoth tries to use this to get him on his side. Loyalties are proven along the way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tybalt Leftpaw/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I don't need the world to see that I've been the best I can be, but I don't think I can stand to be where you don't see me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is a gift for my wonderful friend izak! i dont think they have an ao3 so i cant tag them but their tumblr is https://invadercraft.tumblr.com/ :0</p><p>can i just say that athene is a really fun character to write and i kinda wanna do more fics around him in the future,,,</p><p>(see i said id post an actual fic. i can write,,)<br/>please lmk if theres any errors/typos/issues with the flow!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mordremoth’s voice boomed through Athene’s head, loud, loud, so loud.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>I see within you. You can be with him, have him back if you join me.</strong> </em>
</p><p>“Who?” Athene said aloud.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Your fallen dearheart, lost to rot and pollution and muck.</strong> </em>
</p><p>Athene’s heart pounded in his chest, and a sick feeling coursed over his body.</p><p>A figure burst out from beneath the vines. A charr. A very familiar looking charr.</p><p>“Tybalt?” Athene exclaimed.</p><p>The charr’s eyes glowed yellow, the brightest, most sickening yellow, and there was something meaner, more sinister about him compared to the last time Athene saw him, his features more ragged, less gentle, less kind.</p><p>However he seemed to soften a bit at the sight of the sylvari.</p><p><em> Tybalt Leftpaw</em>, the charr who found him alone in the forest.</p><p><em>Tybalt Leftpaw</em>, the charr who saved him from himself,</p><p>
  <em>His Tybalt. </em>
</p><p>“I…”</p><p>
  <em> <strong>You can join him, join me.</strong> </em>
</p><p>Mordremoth’s avatar was looking right at him, right through him. Because the dragon could see his whole life, couldn’t it? It created him, after all.</p><p>Athene and the dragon, one in the same, like it should be, like it always has been. </p><p>Maybe the dragon’s blight could heal nightmare corruption, fix the years of pain and doubt and self loathing, fix him.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>Join me join me join me join me, join Tybalt, join us join us.</strong> </em>
</p><p>And it felt as if the whole Dream was screaming out;</p><p>
  <em> <strong> Join the jungle dragon, join me, join us, join him, Mordremoth is everything, Mordremoth is all!</strong> </em>
</p><p>Athene froze. His minions froze too.</p><p>Mordremoth stomped towards him, and the whole world became a blur.</p><p>His breaths quickened, a ringing grew in his ears, and he collapsed on the spot.</p><p> </p><p>“Athene! Athene, listen to me!”</p><p>A voice, from in front of him? Someone, shaking him? Athene broke out of his daze to see the commander’s face, worry, so much worry in their eyes.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m alright. I think” Athene responded, glancing around. The others were fighting Modremoth a few meters away, Tybalt too.</p><p>“The Rift?” He asked.</p><p>“We closed Tybalt’s. And yours too. Are you okay to keep fighting?”</p><p>“I guess…” Athene said.</p><p>He got up and brushed the dirt off his coat, reawakening his minions, and joined the fight.</p><p> </p><p>Mordremoth was weakening, and it backed toward the edge of the thorn platform.</p><p>Soon the dragon would be gone. Soon Tyria would be safe.</p><p>The Commander struck the final blow, and was transported out of the Dream of Dreams first.</p><p>Then Caithe, then Canach, then Braham and Rytlock and Marjory and Kasmeer, everyone except Athene, for he didn’t want to let his little echo of Tybalt go.</p><p>Not yet, not after everything that had happened.</p><p>“I missed you… a lot….” Athene murmured, and Tybalt pulled him into a tight hug.</p><p>“I did too,”</p><p>“You’re squishing me!”</p><p>“Sorry,” Tybalt said, setting the sylvari down gently.</p><p>“I missed you so, so much….” Athene said again, a heavy sadness in his voice.</p><p>Tybalt smiled, and brushed a tear out of Athene’s eye.</p><p>“I blame myself for what happened that day,” Tears were dripping down Athene’s cheek, and he started to sob,</p><p>“It wasn’t anyone’s fault,” Tybalt paused, “Not you, or me, or Trahearne’s or the Commander’s, If anyone’s to blame it’s Zhaitan,” “Yes… yes… I guess it is…”</p><p>Athene’s mouth pressed into a sad smile, “I just don’t know what to do without you, dearheart,”</p><p>“I know...” Tybalt responded, “You have some amazing friends now, you know that? I saw them, I could feel their companionship and loyalty fighting next to them. They’re here for you. You don’t have to feel so alone anymore,”</p><p>“But you’re here... we could bring you back to life, couldn’t we?” The sylvari said,</p><p>“No… sorry dear, that’s not possible, I’m dead, gone. Fading embers now,”</p><p>“But-” “I think it’s time for you to wake up now,” Tybalt pulled Athene in and kissed him on the forehead,</p><p>“I love you…” Athene murmured,</p><p>He woke up in the cavern, head throbbing, his friends by his side.</p><p>But no Tybalt.</p><p>Athene cried.</p>
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